Brand: New Horizon MPC | Supplier: Westland | Price: £0.18/litre
Personal observations
New Horizon is the organic-certified line from Westland, and it has a distinctly different character to the standard Westland peat-free product tested alongside it. Light in the hand, and very fibrous — the highest proportion of any product retained in the 2–10mm sieve fraction at 67.5%. This means the material has more structure and fibre than most, which shows in the water-retention figure of 4.3 times dry weight — well above average. Drying took 30 minutes. On opening, it looks fine and fluffy but the sieve tells the real story: most of the volume is fibrous material that holds moisture within its structure. It does not clump at all — just falls apart. The organic certification matters to some buyers, and the performance on water retention is genuinely good. The high fibre fraction does mean this is not ideal for fine seed sowing or lawn top-dressing, where the fibres sit on the surface and resist raking in.
Quick-test data (April 2026)
| Metric | Band | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk density (dry) | L | 0.14 g/ml | Very light — high fibre and air-space structure |
| Water held per g dry weight (WHC) | M | 4.3× | Upper end of typical range — fibre-assisted retention |
| Dry-down time | — | 30 min | Moderate — fibre structure slows release slightly |
| Sieve: <2mm fraction | — | 31.3% | Low — coarser texture than most |
| Sieve: 2–10mm fraction | — | 67.5% | Very high — highest mid-fraction in test group |
| Sieve: >10mm fraction | — | 0.0% | Negligible |
| Price per litre | Mainstream | £0.18 | Mainstream retail — widely available in store |
WHC at the upper end of Mid band, driven partly by the fibrous structure trapping free water alongside organic binding. The 30-minute dry-down confirms reasonable water retention in practice — better than products where high WHC is purely structural. Organic certified.
Widely available at mainstream garden centres and DIY retail — in-store price is competitive. Online purchase would add P&P and is not recommended for this product. For an explanation of why brands offer multiple product types at different price points, see our FAQ.
Comparative hands-on testing, April 2026. Consistent method across all 18 products. See methodology note.
At-a-glance rating breakdown
| Category | Weight | Score | Notes |
| Ease of use | 40% | 7.0 | Positioned as an all-plant peat-free compost. |
| Composition & quality | 35% | 6.1 | Retail listings describe Bio3-style peat-free blend components. |
| Sustainability | 25% | 5.0 | Peat-free positioning; sustainable sourcing claims vary by listing. |
| Overall (weighted) | 100% | 6.5 / 10 | Balanced, consumer-safe score. |
Points to consider
- As with most peat-free mixes, feeding may be required after establishment.
Overall impression: A practical peat-free all-plant compost, best used as a general growing medium.
